Performance evaluation of an in-house human immunodeficiency virus type-1 protease-reverse transcriptase genotyping assay in Cameroon

Arch Virol. 2011 Jul;156(7):1235-43. doi: 10.1007/s00705-011-0982-3. Epub 2011 Apr 5.

Abstract

Most commercial HIV-1 genotyping assays are hampered by high cost in resource-limited settings. Moreover, their performance might be influenced over time by HIV genetic heterogeneity and evolution. An in-house genotyping protocol was developed, and its sequencing performance and reproducibility were compared to that of ViroSeq™. One hundred ninety plasma samples from HIV-1-infected subjects in Cameroon, a resource-limited setting with a high HIV genetic variability, were processed for pol gene sequencing with an in-house protocol, ViroSeq™, or both. Only non-B subtypes were found. The in-house sequencing performance was 98.7% against 92.1% with ViroSeq™. Among 36 sequence pairs obtained using both assays, the overall rate of discordant amino acid positions was negligible (0.24%). With its high sensitivity and reproducibility, as well as its affordable cost (about half of ViroSeq™: 92 euros vs. 217 euros), this in-house assay is a suitable alternative for HIV-1 genotyping in resource-limited and/or in high-genetic-diversity settings.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Cameroon / epidemiology
  • Female
  • Genetic Techniques*
  • Genotype
  • HIV Infections / virology*
  • HIV Reverse Transcriptase / genetics*
  • HIV-1 / classification
  • HIV-1 / enzymology
  • HIV-1 / genetics*
  • HIV-1 / isolation & purification*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Phylogeny

Substances

  • reverse transcriptase, Human immunodeficiency virus 1
  • HIV Reverse Transcriptase